U.S. patent number 10,701,144 [Application Number 16/360,431] was granted by the patent office on 2020-06-30 for decentralized discovery across different networks.
This patent grant is currently assigned to International Business Machines Corporation. The grantee listed for this patent is INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Jonathan A. Berkhahn, Daniel S. Lavine, Simon M. Leung, Eugene Michael Maximilien.
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United States Patent |
10,701,144 |
Berkhahn , et al. |
June 30, 2020 |
Decentralized discovery across different networks
Abstract
Dynamic discovery of peers or services in different networks,
where few or no servers may be required for the discovering
process, is provided. Broadcasting used for the peer or service
discovery may serve to reduce centralized bottlenecks and may serve
to increase scalability.
Inventors: |
Berkhahn; Jonathan A. (San
Jose, CA), Lavine; Daniel S. (Campbell, CA), Leung; Simon
M. (San Jose, CA), Maximilien; Eugene Michael (San Jose,
CA) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION |
Armonk |
NY |
US |
|
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Assignee: |
International Business Machines
Corporation (Armonk, NY)
|
Family
ID: |
58691613 |
Appl.
No.: |
16/360,431 |
Filed: |
March 21, 2019 |
Prior Publication Data
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Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
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US 20190222642 A1 |
Jul 18, 2019 |
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Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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14944386 |
Nov 18, 2015 |
10291697 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04L
67/1068 (20130101); H04L 67/10 (20130101); H04L
67/16 (20130101); H04L 67/1063 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G06F
15/16 (20060101); H04L 29/08 (20060101) |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Other References
AllJoyn, AllJoyn System Description, Release history,
AllSeenAlliance, Sep. 26, 2014 and allseenalliance.org, 26 pages.
cited by applicant .
IBM, "List of IBM Patents or Patent Applications Treated As
Related", Appendix P, 2 pages, dated Mar. 27, 2019. cited by
applicant .
"Platform as a Service", www.Wikipedia.com, Sep. 4, 2015, 5 pages.
cited by applicant.
|
Primary Examiner: Nguyen; Dustin
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Mattheis; David K.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A computer program product for peer-to-peer discovery across
different networks in a platform as a service (PaaS) cloud
environment, the computer program product comprising a computer
readable storage medium having program instructions embodied
therewith, the program instructions readable by a first circuit to
cause the first circuit to perform a method comprising: receiving
from a broadcaster, by the first circuit on a first network, a
broadcast packet from a peer circuit located on a second a network,
the broadcast packet including a signature of an application, the
application running on the peer circuit, and logging, by the first
circuit, or via an intermediary, a record of the application and
application's network address; wherein the broadcaster does not
retain a database recording of the application network address,
wherein the method is practiced by a user on a virtual private
network (VPN) which allows the user access to a shared file system
containing stored program instructions corresponding to the above
described elements, from an accessed server.
2. The computer program product for peer discovery of claim 1
wherein the first circuit does not query a remote central database
to identify peer applications running on peer circuits located on a
network other than the first network.
3. The computer program product for peer discovery of claim 1
wherein the first network and the second network are different
sub-networks in a PaaS and wherein the broadcaster is a router
communicating over a router communication layer.
4. The computer program product for peer discovery of claim 1
wherein logging by the first circuit includes storing an identifier
for the application and an identifier for the network address of
the application.
5. The computer program product for peer discovery of claim 4
wherein the computer instructions further comprise: updating or
removing a previously stored identifier for the application after
determining that the application is no longer available to the
circuit.
6. The computer program product for peer discovery of claim 1
wherein the first circuit logs the record of the application and
application's network address in a local database having the same
sub-net address as the first circuit.
7. The computer program product for peer discovery of claim 2
wherein the remote central database is located on a network
different than the first network.
8. A computer method for peer-to-peer discovery across different
networks in a platform as a service (PaaS) cloud environment, the
computer method comprising: receiving, from a broadcaster, by a
first circuit on a first network, a broadcast packet from a peer
circuit located on a second network, the broadcast packet including
the signature of an application, the application running on the
peer circuit, and logging, by the first circuit, a record of the
application and application's network address, wherein the
broadcaster does not retain a database recording of the application
network address, wherein the method is practiced by a user on a
virtual private network (VPN) which allows the user access to a
shared file system containing stored program instructions
corresponding to the above described elements, from an accessed
server.
9. The computer method for peer discovery of claim 8 wherein the
first circuit does not query a remote central database to identify
peer applications running on peer circuits located on a network
other than the first network.
10. The computer method for peer discovery of claim 8 wherein the
first network and the second network are different sub-networks in
a PaaS and wherein the broadcaster is a router communicating over a
router communication layer.
11. The computer method for peer discovery of claim 8 wherein
logging by the first circuit includes storing an identifier for the
application and an identifier for the network address of the
application.
12. The computer method for peer discovery of claim 11 wherein the
computer instructions further comprise: updating or removing a
previously stored identifier for the application after determining
that the application is no longer available to the first
circuit.
13. The computer program method for peer discovery of claim 8
wherein the first circuit logs the record of the application and
application's network address in a local database having the same
sub-net address as the first circuit.
14. The computer program method for peer discovery of claim 9
wherein the remote central database is located on a network
different than the first network.
15. A computer system for peer-to-peer discovery across different
networks in a platform as a service (PaaS) environment, the
computer system comprising one or more computer readable storage
medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program
instructions readable by a circuit to cause the system to perform a
method comprising: receiving, from a broadcaster, by a first
circuit on a first network, a broadcast packet from a peer circuit
located on a second network, the broadcast packet including the
signature of an application, the application running on the peer
circuit, and logging, by the first circuit, a record of the
application and application's network address, wherein the
broadcaster does not retain a database recording of the application
network address, wherein the method is practiced by a user on a
virtual private network (VPN) which allows the user access to a
shared file system containing stored program instructions
corresponding to the above described elements, from an accessed
server.
16. The computer system for peer discovery of claim 15 wherein the
first circuit does not query a remote central database to identify
peer applications running on peer circuits located on a network
other than the first network.
17. The computer system for peer discovery of claim 15 wherein the
first network and the second network are different sub-networks in
a PaaS and wherein the broadcaster is a router communicating over a
router communication layer.
18. The computer system for peer discovery of claim 15 wherein
logging by the first circuit includes storing an identifier for the
application and an identifier for the network address of the
application.
19. The computer system for peer discovery of claim 18 wherein the
computer instructions further comprise: updating or removing a
previously stored identifier for the application after determining
that the application is no longer available to the first
circuit.
20. The computer system for peer discovery of claim 15 wherein the
first circuit logs the record of the application and application's
network address in a local database having the same sub-net address
as the first circuit.
Description
BACKGROUND
The present invention relates to decentralized discovery across
different networks and more specifically, to applications
broadcasting and listening for packets suitable to identify other
applications or services residing in different networks without the
necessity of a centralized database.
Platform as a service (PaaS) is regularly considered a type of
cloud-based computing where a platform already exists for clients
or others to use when running or otherwise access world-wide-web
applications. The PaaS is a shared universal platform that reduces
the complication of generating and supporting a web-based
application. Repetitive tasks directed to platform setup or
maintenance can be reduced or eliminated through the use of PaaS,
which may itself be established and maintained by third-party
providers.
Applications may be specifically created for use on a public or a
private PaaS environment. Public PaaS environments can include
universal public infrastructure networks while private PaaS
environments can include closed and secured private networks. In
either instance, an application may be created and deployed through
the existing PaaS environment in order to relieve an application
programmer or deployment manager from network start-up, network
maintenance, or other underlying network responsibilities.
BRIEF SUMMARY
Methods, devices and manufactures that support decentralized
discovery across different networks are provided. Embodiments may
include reusable designs that permit an application to dynamically
discover other peer applications across a PaaS environment or other
multiple-network environment. Embodiments may also include reusable
designs that permit an application to dynamically discover
available services across a PaaS environment or other
multiple-network environment. Embodiments may provide for
relatively low network loads where peers may dynamically discover
each other in both their local networks and across outside
networks. This peer discovery and service discovery may be
possible, for example, when peers are located on different
sub-networks.
Embodiments may broadcast to other peers or listen for broadcasts
from other peers using existing conventional or unconventional
communication layers. The communication layers employed may be a
router communication layer.
In embodiments, applications may dynamically discover peers in
different networks where few or no servers may be required for the
discovering process and, in so doing, meaningfully reduce the
frequency of emitting intermittent signals. Embodiments may also
provide for minimal resource usage and the reduction or
minimization of a backend data store. Still further, traffic may be
minimized as signals may be broadcast only once, when new peers
join. This broadcasting may serve to reduce centralized bottlenecks
and may serve to increase scalability.
In embodiments a broadcaster for routing traffic to different
applications and across different networks, may be employed. This
broadcaster may also reach into different sub-networks and may
allow applications previously unknown to each other to discover
each other by sending or listening for packets containing the
identity of the application, and the location of the application.
In certain embodiments, peer applications may be different
instances of the same application as well as unrelated applications
having similar peer discovery accommodations.
Embodiments may also be employed for applications to self-discover
services that are available to the application. These embodiments
may include services broadcasting their identity and network
location through a communication channel for receipt by many
applications. These applications may receive a broadcast packet and
may log the presence and address of the available service. This
service broadcast and logging may be accomplished in conjunction
with or independent of the peer-to-peer broadcast discovery
discussed herein.
In embodiments complexity and network overhead may be reduced
through limited or lack of use of a central database for storing
and maintaining available services and active peer applications
available across different networks. In embodiments services may be
logged into a central database while active peer applications may
not be and may be, instead, discoverable by other peer applications
using the broadcast and packet configurations taught herein.
Overhead may be reduced in embodiments through minimal or no
repeated querying of central databases by peers and services in
order for the peers or services to identify other like peers,
available services, suitable applications, or other information
available to the peers and services.
Many variations of the invention beyond those explicitly described
are possible. Moreover, modifications to the embodiments described
herein are also possible. These modifications and variants may
include various combinations of the embodiments described herein,
various modifications to the embodiments described herein, use of
portions of embodiments described herein, and still further
teachings of the application in other environments and uses.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a schematic showing peer applications in the same subnet
as may be discovering one another in various embodiments of the
invention.
FIG. 2 shows a schematic of a packet that may be sent by an
application or service for discovery by an application in a
different subnet as may be employed in various embodiments of the
invention.
FIG. 3 is a schematic showing peer applications in different
subnets and a packet as may be used to discover one another in
various embodiments of the invention.
FIG. 4 is a schematic showing peer applications in different
subnets and a packet as may be used to discover one another in
various embodiments of the invention.
FIG. 5 shows various features of processes that as may be carried
out in one or more systems employing embodiments of the
invention.
FIG. 6 shows a system, including multiple networks, as may be
employed in accord with embodiments of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Methods, devices and manufactures that support decentralized
discovery across different networks are provided. Embodiments may
include reusable designs that permit an application to dynamically
discover other peer applications across a PaaS environment or other
multiple-network environment. Embodiments may also include reusable
designs that permit an application to dynamically discover
available services across a PaaS environment or other
multiple-network environment. Embodiments may provide for
relatively low network loads where peers may dynamically discover
each other in both their local networks and across outside
networks. This peer discovery and service discovery may be
possible, for example, when peers are located on different IP
sub-networks.
Embodiments may include reusable designs to allow applications to
dynamically discover other peers within a Platform as a Service
(PaaS). In embodiments, network burdens may be reduced and heavy
network loads may be minimized. Each may be accomplished in
embodiments by not requiring the applications within a PaaS or
other decentralized system to host any discovery service
functionality. In other words, the PaaS or decentralized system
need not, for example, maintain a centralized database for tracking
all available peers or other application instances and in so doing
periodic querying across the network and maintenance of such a
database may be reduced or eliminated.
Embodiments may reduce the overhead and load associated with
discovering other running peers within a network. As noted, the
application of central servers for peers to talk to, or discover
each peer can be minimized or eliminated. Also, any related
intermittent broadcasting of signals into the network for purposes
of tracking may be reduced. In so doing, in embodiments, discovery
solutions may enable reductions in the amount of resources for peer
and service discovery.
Still further, embodiments may provide for discovery of peers and
services across the same and different networks, including
different IP subnets. In embodiments, a communication protocol,
such as the router layer, or an unconventional software defined
network may be used to for necessary communications and broadcasts
from and between available peers and available services. This
broadcast across existing communication layers can serve to reduce
data stores in the backend. In certain embodiments, a broadcast
across a router layer may include sending a signature across and to
various other networks, where that signature may be recognized by
peers who then use that signature as indicative of a now available
peer or service. Likewise, when a peer or service becomes no longer
available it may also, send a broadcast prior to logging out and
when this signature is received the receiving peer may use it to
indicate the other peer or the service is no longer available.
In embodiments, the routing layer within a PaaS may be designed to
receive and broadcast discovery signals. Here, applications may
send out a discovery signal on startup and a router may notify all
running instances about the new peer application. In so doing,
applications may then be able to discover other peer applications
in different networks with the routing layer broadcasting discovery
or other applicable signals to different networks.
Thus, in embodiments, the software routing layer within a PaaS may
be designed to receive and broadcast discovery signals as a single
packet or multiple packets. Upon arrival, new applications may send
out a discovery signal once and the router may notify all running
applications within the PaaS of the new peer application. As the
router can broadcast the signal into all networks, all applications
across different networks that recognize the signature can be
informed of the new peer arrival.
Upon receipt of a broadcast signal, applications can choose how to
act upon receipt of a peer arriving broadcast signal. In
decentralized network embodiments, such as a PaaS environment, a
router may be suitable to broadcast signals into the entire
network, thereby reducing or eliminating the need to store peer
information in a central data store at the router or elsewhere.
Embodiments may allow arbitrary applications to dynamically
discover others as well as available services. In addition,
embodiments may enable this discovery and communication to occur at
levels above normal network communication protocols. Thus, a router
or other communication scheme may be used to deliver the discovery
signals to each application in the environment via a router without
occupying underlying communication layers.
In embodiments, not every peer application needs to send or receive
broadcast signals. For example, when six peers exist, only some of
the peers, e.g., four, may be involved in the broadcasting or
receipt of the discovery signals. Peers not involved, e.g., two,
may have already indicated that peer discovery is not of interest
to them or may have other reasons for not participating in the
broadcast, listening, and discovery described herein.
Embodiments may be carried without requirements for specific
language or specific use of binding libraries for purposes of
identifying peers. For example, embodiments may not employ the
required use of binding libraries for purposes of discovery.
Exemplary implementations may be as follows: (1) a peer to peer
game is running within a PaaS and the embodiment is used to
discover any other peer for that game that are available within the
PaaS; (2) a social program with peer to peer video or chatting
features is running and the embodiment is used to discover any
other peer that are available within the PaaS for video or
chatting; and (3) an automatic service discovery within PaaS (e.g.
3rd party database, analytic, big data service etc.) is running and
the embodiment is used to discover any other peer that are
available within the PaaS for purposes of using the automatic
service.
FIG. 1 is a schematic showing peer applications in the same subnets
as may be discovering one another in various embodiments of the
invention. The schematic includes PaaS 100, network 110, subnet A
121, subnet B 122, and broadcaster 130. Visible in FIG. 1 are two
instances of application XYZ which can communicate with each other
within the same subnet. Also evident in FIG. 1 is that there is no
application in subnet B. The broadcaster 130, which may be an IP
router, may enable communications between subnet A and subnet B as
well as between network 110 and other networks in the PaaS 100. The
two instances of application XYZ may communicate with each other
without the use of a router or other broadcaster.
FIG. 2 shows a schematic of a packet that may be sent by an
application or service for discovery by an application in a
different subnet as may be employed in various embodiments of the
invention. The packet 200 as well as the application signature 210
or service signature 210, and the discovery signal 211, are each
labeled in FIG. 2. In embodiments, a router or other broadcaster
may listen for such a special packet, which may be configured as in
FIG. 2, and may then broadcast the special packet for receipt by
listening applications in the subnet, PaaS and elsewhere. The
packet may be an eight bit packet as well as other sizes. Moreover,
multiple packets may be used in embodiments to send the signature
210 and the signal 211. An advantage of keeping the two together is
that additional header information may be reduced when a single
packet is used rather than multiple packets to broadcast signature
and signaling information.
FIG. 3 is a schematic showing peer applications in different
subnets and a packet as may be used to discover one another in
various embodiments of the invention. FIG. 3 shows how the new
application App XYZ (3) may be staged and running within the PaaS
and may send out a discovery signal for any other potential
application running XYZ. This discovery signal may be sent to the
broadcaster, as is shown by arrow 301, and the broadcaster may
subsequently transmit the signal to other subnets or other areas
within the PaaS 110. This subsequent broadcasting is shown in FIG.
4 with arrows 401 and 402.
FIG. 4 is a schematic showing peer applications in different
subnets and a packet as may be used to discover one another in
various embodiments of the invention. Thus, in FIG. 4, a
broadcaster routes the App XYZ signature to the network, and any
applications running in the cloud that recognize the signature can
act accordingly.
FIG. 5 shows various features of processes that as may be carried
out in one or more systems employing embodiments of the invention.
As shown at 501, embodiments may include, at a first circuit,
generating a first broadcast packet to be broadcast to peer
circuits or services across different networks, the first broadcast
packet including a signature of a first application running on the
circuit, and a discovery signal. As shown at 502, embodiments may
also include, at the first circuit, sending the packet to a
broadcaster, the broadcaster configured to broadcast the packet to
different networks. As shown at 503, embodiments may also include,
at the first circuit or another circuit, receiving a second
broadcast packet from a peer circuit located on second network, the
second broadcast packet is not sent by the peer circuit in response
to the first broadcast packet, the second broadcast packet
including the signature of a second application, the second
application running on the peer circuit. And, as shown at 504,
embodiments may also include, at the first circuit or another
circuit, logging a record of the second application and second
application's network address.
FIG. 6 shows a system, including multiple networks, as may be
employed in accord with embodiments of the invention. This system
of FIG. 6 includes peer 610, peers 641-643, network 631 and network
632, broadcaster 651, and network services or resources 661-662.
Components and applications comprising peer 610 are also shown.
These are processing unit 611, system memory RAM/ROM 612, interface
drivers 613, serial port interface 614, I/O adapter 615, hard drive
618, floppy/CD-ROM 617, network adapter 616 and bus 619. Software
loaded onto the hard drive 618 and/or system memory 612 is shown at
620 and includes an operating system, applications, modules,
plug-ins, and data.
As can be seen in FIG. 6, the broadcaster may be directly connected
to a peer and may be reachable to other peers through network 631
and/or network 632. In operation, the peers and the network
resources may announce their presence though the broadcaster, which
may be an IP router, using the signaling packet described above.
Non-sending peers may listen for these signaling packets and may
use them, when the packets are received, to manage applications
running on the receiving peer. This management may include
recognizing the presence of a peer or resource available in a
different network and identifying a use of the application of the
newly available peer or resource. This management may also include
sending a return signal to the non-network peer to acknowledge its
presence and receipt of the signaling packet.
The process software (decentralized discovery across different
networks) is shared, simultaneously serving multiple customers in a
flexible, automated fashion. It is standardized, requiring little
customization, and it is scalable, providing capacity on demand in
a pay-as-you-go model. The process software can be stored on a
shared file system accessible from one or more servers. The process
software is executed via transactions that contain data and server
processing requests that use CPU units on the accessed server. CPU
units are units of time, such as minutes, seconds, and hours, on
the central processor of the server. Additionally, the accessed
server may make requests of other servers that require CPU units.
CPU units are an example that represents but one measurement of
use. Other measurements of use include, but are not limited to,
network bandwidth, memory usage, storage usage, packet transfers,
complete transactions, etc. When multiple customers use the same
process software application, their transactions are differentiated
by the parameters included in the transactions that identify the
unique customer and the type of service for that customer. All of
the CPU units and other measurements of use that are used for the
services for each customer are recorded. When the number of
transactions to any one server reaches a number that begins to
affect the performance of that server, other servers are accessed
to increase the capacity and to share the workload. Likewise, when
other measurements of use, such as network bandwidth, memory usage,
storage usage, etc., approach a capacity so as to affect
performance, additional network bandwidth, memory usage, storage,
etc. are added to share the workload. The measurements of use
employed for each service and customer are sent to a collecting
server that sums the measurements of use for each customer for each
service that was processed anywhere in the network of servers that
provide the shared execution of the process software. The summed
measurements of use units are periodically multiplied by unit
costs, and the resulting total process software application service
costs are alternatively sent to the customer and/or indicated on a
web site accessed by the customer, who may then remit payment to
the service provider. In another embodiment, the service provider
requests payment directly from a customer account at a banking or
financial institution.
In another embodiment, if the service provider is also a customer
of the customer that uses the process software application, the
payment owed to the service provider is reconciled to the payment
owed by the service provider to minimize the transfer of
payments.
The process software (decentralized discovery across different
networks) may be deployed, accessed and executed through the use of
a virtual private network (VPN), which is any combination of
technologies that can be used to secure a connection through an
otherwise unsecured or untrusted network. The use of VPNs improves
security and reduces operational costs. The VPN makes use of a
public network, usually the Internet, to connect remote sites or
users together. Instead of using a dedicated, real-world connection
such as leased line, the VPN uses "virtual" connections routed
through the Internet from the company's private network to the
remote site or employee. Access to the software via a VPN can be
provided as a service by specifically constructing the VPN for
purposes of delivery or execution of the process software (i.e.,
the software resides elsewhere), wherein the lifetime of the VPN is
limited to a given period of time or a given number of deployments
based on an amount paid.
The process software may be deployed, accessed, and executed
through either a remote-access or a site to-site VPN. When using
the remote-access VPNs, the process software is deployed, accessed,
and executed via the secure, encrypted connections between a
company's private network and remote users through a third-party
service provider. The enterprise service provider (ESP) sets up a
network access server (NAS) and provides the remote users with
desktop client software for their computers. The telecommuters can
then dial a toll-free number or attach directly via a cable or DSL
modem to reach the NAS and use their VPN client software to access
the corporate network and to access, download, and execute the
process software.
When using the site-to-site VPN, the process software is deployed,
accessed and executed through the use of dedicated equipment and
large-scale encryption used to connect a company's multiple fixed
sites over a public network, such as the Internet.
The process software is transported over the VPN via tunneling,
which is the process of placing an entire packet within another
packet and sending it over a network. The protocol of the outer
packet is understood by the network and both points, called tunnel
interfaces, where the packet enters and exits the network.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing
particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of
the invention. As used herein, the singular forms "a," "an" and
"the" are intended to include plural forms as well, unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood
that the terms "comprises" and/or "comprising," when used in this
specification, specific the presence of stated features, integers,
steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude
the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers,
steps, operation, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
Embodiments may be implemented as a computer process, a computing
system or as an article of manufacture such as a computer program
product of computer readable media. The computer program product
may be a computer storage medium readable by a computer system and
encoding a computer program instructions for executing a computer
process.
The present invention may be a system, a method, and/or a computer
program product. The computer program product may include a
computer readable storage medium (or media) having computer
readable program instructions thereon for causing a processor to
carry out aspects of the present invention.
The computer readable storage medium is a tangible device that can
retain and store instructions for use by an instruction execution
device. The computer readable storage medium may be, for example,
but is not limited to, an electronic storage device, a magnetic
storage device, an optical storage device, an electromagnetic
storage device, a semiconductor storage device, or any suitable
combination of the foregoing. A non-exhaustive list of more
specific examples of the computer readable storage medium includes
the following: a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random
access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable
programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), a static
random access memory (SRAM), a portable compact disc read-only
memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disk (DVD), a memory stick, a
floppy disk, a mechanically encoded device such as punch-cards or
raised structures in a groove having instructions recorded thereon,
and any suitable combination of the foregoing. A computer readable
storage medium, as used herein, is not to be construed as being
transitory signals per se, such as radio waves or other freely
propagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves
propagating through a waveguide or other transmission media (e.g.,
light pulses passing through a fiber-optic cable), or electrical
signals transmitted through a wire.
Computer readable program instructions described herein can be
downloaded to respective computing/processing devices from a
computer readable storage medium or to an external computer or
external storage device via a network, for example, the Internet, a
local area network, a wide area network and/or a wireless network.
The network may comprise copper transmission cables, optical
transmission fibers, wireless transmission, routers, firewalls,
switches, gateway computers and/or edge servers. A network adapter
card or network interface in each computing/processing device
receives computer readable program instructions from the network
and forwards the computer readable program instructions for storage
in a computer readable storage medium within the respective
computing/processing device.
Computer readable program instructions for carrying out operations
of the present invention may be assembler instructions,
instruction-set-architecture (ISA) instructions, machine
instructions, machine dependent instructions, microcode, firmware
instructions, state-setting data, or either source code or object
code written in any combination of one or more programming
languages, including an object oriented programming language such
as Java.RTM., Smalltalk, C++ or the like, and conventional
procedural programming languages, such as the "C" programming
language or similar programming languages. The computer readable
program instructions may execute entirely on the user's computer,
partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone software package,
partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computer or
entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario,
the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through
any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide
area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external
computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet
Service Provider). In some embodiments, electronic circuitry
including, for example, programmable logic circuitry,
field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA), or programmable logic arrays
(PLA) may execute the computer readable program instructions by
utilizing state information of the computer readable program
instructions to personalize the electronic circuitry, in order to
perform aspects of the present invention.
Aspects of the present invention are described herein with
reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of
methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products
according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood
that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block
diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations
and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer readable
program instructions.
These computer readable program instructions may be provided to a
processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer,
or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a
machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the
processor of the computer or other programmable data processing
apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts
specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
These computer readable program instructions may also be stored in
a computer readable storage medium that can direct a computer, a
programmable data processing apparatus, and/or other devices to
function in a particular manner, such that the computer readable
storage medium having instructions stored therein comprises an
article of manufacture including instructions which implement
aspects of the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block
diagram block or blocks.
The computer readable program instructions may also be loaded onto
a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other
device to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on
the computer, other programmable apparatus or other device to
produce a computer implemented process, such that the instructions
which execute on the computer, other programmable apparatus, or
other device implement the functions/acts specified in the
flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
The flowchart and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate the
architecture, functionality, and operation of possible
implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products
according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this
regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent
a module, segment, or portion of instructions, which comprises one
or more executable instructions for implementing the specified
logical function(s). In some alternative implementations, the
functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in
the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in
fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may
sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the
functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of
the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations
of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can
be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that
perform the specified functions or acts or carry out combinations
of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.
The corresponding structures, material, acts, and equivalents of
all means or steps plus function elements in the claims below are
intended to include any structure, material or act for performing
the function in combination with other claimed elements are
specifically claimed. The description of the present invention has
been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but is
not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the
form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent
to those of ordinary skill without departing from the scope and
spirit of the invention. The embodiment was chosen and described in
order to best explain the principles of the invention and the
practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in
the art to understand the invention for embodiments with various
modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.
* * * * *
References